WALTHAM, Mass. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — January 4, 2012 —
Different automotive brands stand for different values, such as
efficiency, luxury, speed and performance.
Donkervoort
Automobielen BV, a Dutch automotive manufacturer, increasingly
relies on SolidWorks® advanced 3D design and simulation tools
in its quest to produce the perfect sports car. This value was on
display on December 17 when Donkervoort unveiled the newly designed
model
D8
GTO.

By incorporating
SolidWorks
Flow Simulation and
SolidWorks
Simulation Premium to its existing SolidWorks package, Donkervoort
created a single CAD environment for the redesign of its D8 GTO model,
ensuring total integration of the design and simulation process.
Donkervoort focuses on sports cars that are hand built, lightweight,
high performance and perform like Formula One racecars, even though they
look like classic roadsters.

Redesigning the engine to develop power resulted in added weight in the
D8 GTO, causing Donkervoort to rework the body. The company turned to
SolidWorks 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and advanced structural
simulation solutions to ensure performance while staying on budget and
delivering the car on schedule.

Donkervoort tackled several different challenges during the redesign,
including optimizing intake manifolds and engine airflow and resolving
open-wheel aerodynamic challenges. The company created a hybrid carbon
fiber-tubular steel chassis to add strength while minimizing weight that
held up to simulated testing for force, stiffness, crash and impact. The
design team added wings to the rear fenders to increase down force and
traction.

“Donkervoort’s auto redesign shows the type of creativity and problem
solving that SolidWorks is designed to empower engineers to achieve,”
said Stephen Endersby, product manager, simulation at Dassault Systèmes
SolidWorks Corp. “By using simulation to solve design challenges,
Donkervoort’s design team circumvented costly and time-consuming steps
on the path to unveiling the optimal product.”

The results speak for themselves. Using SolidWorks Simulation,
Donkervoort was able to cut the number of prototypes required by 50
percent, increase product sophistication, improve aerodynamics and
performance and introduce structural innovation in sports car design.

“We chose SolidWorks Simulation because it provided all of the analysis
capabilities that we need in a single design environment,” said Jordi
Wiersma, head of design and engineering for Donkervoort. “CAD
integration is a must. We had experience working with outside
consultants who used other analysis tools. We often spent more time
integrating analysis results into our CAD system than we did applying
those results to our designs. Working in a single environment enables us
to more efficiently use simulation while we design and apply these
insights to our design concepts in real time.”